Surgical bone clamp



NOV. 14, 1944. 5 HACKETT SURGICAL BONE CLAMP Filed Sept. 27, 1941INVENTOR.

BY ATTORN.

. time.

Patented Nov. 14, 1944 SURGICAL BONE CLAMP George S. Hackett, Canton,Ohio, assignor to Harry Herschel Leiter, Warsaw, Ind. ApplicationSeptember 27,1941,SerialNo. 412,593

' 3 Claims. (01. 12s--s4s) This invention relates to improvements inasurgical bone clamp for use in reduction of a bone fracture and duringapplication of a cine-- ture by whichto maintain fixation of bonefragments for a more An. object of the invention is to afford anadjustableinstrument fortemporarily holding in place, after reductionthereof, the fragments of a'fractured bone, having rneans to facilitateenvcirclement of the bone with a cincture at the.

point of the reduced fracture.

or less protracted period. of

at its rear end aneinternally threaded lug Upon the shank is removabl-ypositioned a slidable block. 5 provided with a guide lug 6 that projectsinto the slot 2 in theshank, and 'apeg .Another object ofthe inventionis to provide v in a clamp for'reduced bone fractures, opposing jawsbetween which is secured the bone fragments-during application of acincture thereto,

one off'which jaws is adjustably movable toward and from the other jaw,and which also is supported so, that it automaticallydropsout of the wayto. permit unobstructed removal of the instrument from engagement wit hthe bone out through the incision in the surrounding flesh after thecincture has been applied.

And a further object of the invention isto provide a cincture' for usein conjunction with a bone-clamp so formed that, while the clamp/is inoperative position and the cincture'is being applied, encirclement. ofthe bone by the cincture wire is readily accomplished without departure.of the wire from the intended course.

7 Other objects, and advantages of the invention appear in the followingdescription. k

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown inthe accompanyingdrawing, in which: a Fig. 1 is a side ,elevational view ofv aninstrument in which thefinvention is-incorporated,

parts thereof being broken away;

. Fig. 2 isa top plan viewof the instrument projected from, Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3'is a cross-sectional viewshowing afront end portion of theinstrument, the section being onthe line 33 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. iris anothencross-sectional view of the instrument showing themovable jaw, the section being on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a cincture used with theinstrument, shown in its initial form with a portion in section; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the cincture as it appears after beingclinched, portions thereof being broken away.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention consists of a base member Ihaving in its shank or medial portion an elongated slot 2, at itsforward end an upturned bifurcated hook 3, and

1 projects from the block loosely through said slot, and is. provided atits lower end ,witha crosshead 8 wherefore to secure to. securefltheblock inoperative position on the shanksothat longitudinal movement ofvthe bIockjQ hQjthe shank, whilethe lug is inthe slot, is permitted.

A threaded operating rod {9" extends through 1 the lug 4 andis providedatits. forwardend with agrooved nib 10 that projects into a cavity ilmade. in the rear end ofthe block, and a lockscrew l2 disposed insaidlolock extends into the groove of the nib wherefore tosecure theoperating rod and block together while permitting free turning movementof; the rod. Upon rotation of the rod the block is adjustably moved onthe shank.

In theforward end of the block Sis secured a jaw l 3 having.limitedforeand aft pivotal movement relative ,theretoand disposed OPPO- sitely withrespect 'to'the'h'ook 3, the jaw-being arranged so as to stand erect inoperativposition when the instrumentois applied,.-and' drop down uponthe shank out of the way to permit removal of'the instrument from thesitus without encroachment of the jaw upon tissues'jabout 30- theincision. When thefjaw I3 is inlerect position, theforward endof theblock'i and, the

- front-of the jaw present a continuousflbone-contacting face. ,g

A feature of the invention is the preferred formof the hook 3 which has'upward curvature. and is fork-shaped. The concave faces of its tineshave made therein transverse serrations l4 to enhance its grippingproperties. An .arcuate web I5 is disposed between the tines and extendsacross the space therebetween toform I an upwardly inclined deflector.In this manner the back of the hook is closedby the web and the oppositeface of the hook Ihas, an arc'uate cavity l6 between its tines open atits'upper "end.

There are also divergent channels ll, made in the upper face of the hookat its juncture with the shank which extend from the sides thereofleading into the cavity I6.

For use in conjunction with the bone clamp there is provided a cincturewhich is applied around the bone while the fragments thereof aretemporarily held in place by the bone clamp and which remains in placefor a protracted period following removal of the clamp. A preferred formof a suitable cincture is shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

at the place of fracture, the bone fragments are then reduced as in theusual practice and the instrument is inserted through the incision andth hook is moved into position back of the bone, after which, bymanipulating the operating rod 8, the block with its pivoted jaw areprogressed along the shank toward the hook and consequently the bonefragments become clamped by the adjacent end of the block and said jawagainst the hook. While the fragments are thus firmly held in positionthe blunt end of the tie wire is introduced through one of the channelsI! between the jaw and the overlying bone into the cavity 16 and thrustagainst the arcuate web by which the wire is caused to curve upwardlyduring its passage and encircles the bone. The beaded end of the wire isthen severed, the remaining end portion of the wire is inserted throughthe tube 20, and the projecting end of the wire is grasped by use of anysuitable instrument (not shown) with which traction is applied to thewire while counter-traction is made against the outer end of the tube.Thus, the wire is formed into a loop 2| that encircles and is drawntight around the bones While the wire is thus held taut it is backturnedover the outer end of the tube against the exterior wall thereof asindicated at 22 to prevent slackin of the wire loop. A suitableprotective shield, such -as a length of rubber tubing (not shown) isplaced over the outer end of the tube and the backturned or clinched.end 22 of the wire to oted jaw are moved backwardly, whereupon the jawdrops out of the way automatically onto the shank thereby permittinggreater freedom of movement of the instrument as it is withdrawn fromengagement with the bone, which is advantageous, as is thereby obviatedinterference of the pivoted jaw with the exposed flesh and obstructionby the surrounding wall of the cast.

When convalescence has progressed sufficiently to permit removal of thecincture, .the bent end 22 of the wire is severed, counter-traction isapplied to the tube 20 while concurrently counter pressure is madeagainst the bone, the operation being carried out with the use of anysuitable instruments (not shown) as arev appropriate for operations ofthat character.

To facilitate sterilization, the instrument is constructed so as topermit dismemberment and reassemblage of its parts readily. Forinstance: By first removing the lock-screw the operating rod isdisconnected from the block upon unscrewing the rod out of the lug inwhich it is threaded, whereupon by raising the rear-end of the blocksufficiently to clear the guide lug from the slot in the shank the blockis free to be turned laterally upon the axis of the peg to a position atright angles to the shank to permit withdrawal of the cross-head throughthe guide slot. Thus, the several parts may be subjected advantageouslyto sterlization separately.

Variations from the particular construction above disclosed may beresorted to by the exercise of skill in the art, without departure fromthe spirit or scope of the invention, and the following claims areintended to be inclusive of such variations.

What I claimis:

1. In a surgical bone clamp, a base member having at one end an upwardlycurved bifurcated hook provided with an upturned arcuate cavity and atits other end a threaded lug, an arcuate web'disposed between the tinesof said hook providing a deflector, said hook having channels at itsjuncture with said member in the upper face thereof, a blocklongitudinally movable on said prevent interference with gauze or othersupermember provided with a pivoted jaw opposed to the hook and havinglimited pivotal movement thereon toward and from said hook'the forwardsurfaces of said block and jaw affording a continuous bone-contactingface, and an operating threaded rod extending through said lug connectedwith said block for actuating the block.

2. In a surgical bon clamp, a base member having at one end a threadedlug and at its other end an upwardly curved hook provided with adeflector cavity and having in its upper face at its juncture with saidmember an open channel for the passage therethrough of a cincture wireinto said cavity, a block longitudinally movable on said member towardand from said hook and provided with a pivoted upstanding jaw opposingsaid hook, the forward surfaces of said block and jaw presenting acontinuous bone-contacting face and a threaded operating rod extendingthrough said lug and engaging said block for actuating the block.

3. A surgical bone clamp consisting of a base having at one end anupturned hook and a threaded lug at its other end, a movable member onsaid base provided with an abrupt forward end and a pivoted upstandingjaw that affords together with the said abrupt end a continuousbone-contacting face opposed to said hook, and a threaded operating rodin said lug connected with said member for adjusting same on said base.

GEORGE S. HACKETT.

